Charge filed against man who pointed gun at officer outside grocery store

A St. Joseph man faces a charge of first-degree assault in an incident that involved an officer firing his gun outside a local grocery store.

Trevor Szuba is charged in the Jan. 31 incident outside Price Chopper, 2219 N. Belt Highway.

According to a probable cause statement filed in the case, a St. Joseph Police Department officer attempted to stop a female shoplifter at about 9:30 p.m. that evening and the two struggled as she exited the store. During the struggle, a truck pulled up in front of the store, and the driver got out and pointed a gun toward the officer, the court document said. 

The officer drew his gun and fired two shots, the probable cause statement said. Another woman then came out of the store and got into the truck along with the driver, who then drove off. 

The truck was later found abandoned with a live 9 mm round on the floor and a receipt for Szuba inside. A witness also identified Szuba as the driver of the truck and the person who pointed the gun at the officer, court documents said.  

Szuba is being held without bond. He will have an initial appearance in front of Associate Circuit Court Judge Chad Gaddie at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27.